


Prosperity

by enkelimagnus



Series: Ficlet Instruments Prompts [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: 1950s, Client Alec Lightwood, Drinking, Drug Dealing, F/M, Film Noir, First Meetings, Kidnapping, M/M, Multi, P.I. Magnus Bane, Period-Typical Racism, Post-World War II, Slurs, Smoking, The Bone Chandelier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2020-09-23 09:04:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 11,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20337595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enkelimagnus/pseuds/enkelimagnus
Summary: They said the United States of America were entering an unprecedented era of prosperity. They said all was well now that the Nazis were defeated.Magnus Bane did not believe them.---------Magnus Bane is a tired man, a Private Eye in downtown, rainy New York streets. One day, a gentleman walks into his office.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [sh_ficletinstruments](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/sh_ficletinstruments) collection. 

> **Prompt:**
> 
> A weary, cynical P.I. gets a new case.

They said the United States of America were entering an unprecedented era of prosperity. They said all was well now that the Nazis were defeated. 

Magnus Bane did not believe them. He never had, and he never would, for as long as Americans stared at him with the ugly shadow of racism in their eyes, the vicious desire to see him dead and gone, far from their streets. 

He was not Japanese, nor was he Chinese, Filipino, Korean or a citizen of a country of Asian that Americans had declared war onto, but for sure, they did not believe he was any different from others that looked like him. 

Jazz played on the radio as Magnus smoked his cigarette. The afternoon was dark, storm clouds obscuring the sun and making the drab view from his office sadder. He liked the sound of the rain on the tin roofs. He guessed his life could be worse. 

He guessed it could be better. Work was hard to come by, these days. Of the few potential clients that braved the dark alleys and the dirty staircase, only a handful walked into his office after seeing his face for the first time. 

The smoke from his cigarette formed ancient symbols into the air. The lamp basked the obvious lack of messiness and work of his desk in an acidic yellow light. His coffee was cold. He needed a fresh cup. 

As he stood from his beaten-up leather chair to walk to the coffee pot, there was a knock on the door. Through the glass panel, Magnus guessed the shape of a man, a tall one with a strong profile. 

“Come on in,” Magnus sat back down at his desk, left hand drifting to where his revolver was. He’d made many enemies in the last couple of years he’d spent in the dirty business of the city’s less discriminatory.

The man wore a dark coat, a dark hat, and dark stubble. That was unusual, Magnus noted. Men with this kind of expensive trinkets - the watch was a Rolex, the latest model - rarely walked out of their homes anything but clean-shaven. 

“Are you Mr. Bane?” The man asked, hesitating somewhat. Magnus was used to that. They always expected a white man. 

“Himself. You are?” 

“Alexander Lightwood,” the gentleman introduced himself, holding out a hand for Magnus to shake. Magnus took it. Lightwood’s shake was firm. Magnus appreciated that. “What brings you here, Mr Lightwood?” He asked, sliding the cigarette pack towards him. The hat was wet, and the man’s hazel eyes seemed to search for something in his office. Reassurance his wife was not cheating on him? Search for an artifact that had been stolen? What was reason enough for a Lightwood to walk downtown to Magnus’ office under such downpour? 

“I need your help, Mr Bane,” Lightwood spoke, taking a cigarette. Magnus clicked the lighter open and lit it for him. The man looked good with a cigarette in his mouth. “My sister has disappeared.”


	2. Chapter 2

Magnus hummed, watching him closely. 

At his silence, the man in front of him shifted, taking a long pull on the cigarette. He seemed agitated. “The police… they said she’d probably ran off with her lover. That’s not Izzy’s style. I knew her lovers, I knew she would have told me.”

“I suppose she’s unmarried,” Magnus pointed out. “The police tends to act… especially tactful when it comes to unmarried women.” 

The man’s mouth twisted, anger clear in the grinding of his teeth as he spoke. “My sister is her own woman, and it scares small men. I hope it does not scare you, Mr Bane.” 

Magnus slid a cigarette out of the pack and lit it for himself, watching the other some more. He obviously had good money. Magnus was in great need of that. “Does this place look like the police station to you, Mr Lightwood?” He asked. 

Lightwood had a small chuckle and he almost relaxed. “You sure do not look like a police officer, Mr Bane.” 

Magnus raised an eyebrow at the comment, leaning forward a little. “Is the fact I’m Asian what clued you in?” His tone was colder than it had been until then. He did not like this kind of smartass remark. 

The man shook his head, coughing a little. “I didn’t mean it that way, I apologize. I don’t have any issue with people of your…” He stopped talking, and swallowed. 

Magnus nodded. “You stopped at the right place, Mr Lightwood,” he pointed out and pulled on his cigarette. “Tell me more about your sister, and why you think she’s disappeared.” 

Lightwood crossed his legs and sighed. His hat rested on a chair next to the one he was sitting on. The stubble was actually more of a shadow than anything but it was definitely unusual. Magnus thought it suited him. 

“My sister’s Isabelle Lightwood. She turned 23 in May. She disappeared two days ago. I know she’s not just with her lover because it’s very unlike her to disappear without saying anything, or leaving a note,” Lightwood explained. “As I said. She’s her own woman. A lot of people frown at her for her behavior.”

Magnus grabbed a pen and paper and started jotting down notes. “Do you have the name of her latest paramour?” He asked. “They might know something.”

“Meliorn,” Lightwood replied, licking his lips. “I don’t know anything else. She never really told me his last name. For all I know, he doesn’t have any. He lives downtown, she takes the taxi to go see him, and she always pays the kind of fare that you get when you go to the Village.” 

“Where was she going?” 

Lightwood had a small shrug. “She enjoys shows. Like the ones in the Gaslight. She likes all establishments from those suited to her name to the ones that she shouldn’t even know about. Comedies. She loves herself a comic, especially if it’s a woman.” 

Magnus nodded, smiling. “A free woman indeed.” 


	3. Chapter 3

Alexander Lightwood was an unexpected addition to Magnus’ clientele. The Lightwood name was more prestigious than the ones he usually heard. Not that Magnus cared for prestige. He wasn’t doing this work for prestige, no, he was doing it for justice. 

A lot of people he worked for were forgotten by the justice system. Poor, colored, queer, free-spirited, they all were the kind of people that the cops would not even look at. So Magnus hunted criminals for them. He rarely had to do this kind of work, working with abductees’ families to find them, but it was rather thrilling, he thought, as he packed up his camera and equipment, threw on his coat, and walked out of the small office. 

He made his way down the stairs and towards the open mouth of the subway. Some watched him as he took a ticket and walked through the corridors, but it was later than the time where the most racist finished work, and earlier than the time where they would be drunk enough to take it out on him verbally or otherwise. 

The club he was going to was called the Bone Chandelier, and if his information was right, Isabelle Lightwood’s paramour worked there as a waiter. 

The blue paint of the subway wagon was too bright, and he tilted his hat down. He was going to the Village. Maybe he should have worn something a little more… festive. Magnus smoothed his hand over his goatee a little, and leaned against the back of the seat. The stations rolled by and he took out a cigarette. He lit it. The subway took him further and further from the grey suits and the etiquette. 

The subway station had white tiles and a smell of piss. Magnus thought that these were quintessential qualities of any example of subway stations. He took a drag of his cigarette and his steps led him up the stairs and into the street. 

There was nothing quite the sheer lack of conformity of the Village. This was where people came for wondrous taboo loves and dirty jokes, dirtier tables and the swing of popular tunes. Magnus’ steps led him down the street. 

Men wore beards and women pants, those who were neither stood inside open windows. Magnus nodded at someone he recognized. He rarely was in such gay areas. 

The Bone Chandelier had an open gate and a closed green door. Two men and a woman, two gingers and a blonde, were walking in before Magnus. Just like him, they were dressed much too well for the neighborhood, even if the ginger woman wore pants and a beret. 

They stepped into the bar, the heavy smoke of tobacco and other herbs enveloping them at every step. The blond man in front of Magnus made a distinctive face as he turned around to look at the exit.

“Come!” the woman said, grabbing both of their hands and pulling them forward. 

Magnus set into finding the one named Meliorn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> Shoot me an ask or a DM on my tumblr @enkelimagnus, or reach me on my Twitter @enkelimagnus!  
I have anons on and curiouscat so don't be shy!


	4. Chapter 4

Meliorn had long dark hair, blue locks, and a piercing stare. He was unusual, in a way that fitted with the club he worked in. He was rather slim, under the black vest and the waiter’s outfit. Magnus leaned against the bar, looking around the club. 

The seats were wood, except for a small amount of leather couches in a corner of the room. There was a flight of stairs, going down towards an unseen basement. 

Magnus ordered a whiskey, and took out a cigarette. He asked the woman that stood next to him - the redhead he’d walked into the club with earlier - for fire. 

She slid a lighter out of the pocket of the waistcoat she wore and lit his cigarette for him. "Here you go." 

He thanked her and brought the cigarette to his mouth. She grabbed the bartender’s attention and ordered a drink. He didn’t really pay attention to what it was. The two men that had been with her when she’d arrived were now sitting at a table. 

"Which is your man?" Magnus asked, mumbling around his cigarette. The redhead chuckled. 

"Neither," she looked at him. "The ginger’s my blood brother, and the blond’s my adoptive brother."

"A family affair," Magnus muttered. He took a picture of Isabelle Lightwood out of his pocket. It had been given to him by Alexander Lightwood when he’d left his office. 

It showed the young woman smiling widely, with perfect hair and perfectly white gloves. Magnus slid the photograph towards the ginger woman. 

"Have you seen this one around?" He asked. 

"Why? You’re looking for her?" She replied. Her voice was a little more aggressive than he expected. 

"What if I am?" Magnus replied. "Her brother’s worried." 

The ginger licked her lips, and grabbed her drink, paying the bartender. "Didn’t know she had a brother." 

Magnus raised an eyebrow. "So you know her." 

"She’s here very often. Got something with one of the waiters. She’s sweet to talk to. And she likes to offer drinks to men and women alike." 

"What’s your name?" 

The ginger chuckled. "She knows us as Clarissa and the Jonathans. When you find her, say hi to her for me, will you?" She turned around and whistled loudly. Three drinks were too many for her to carry. The two men looked around and one of them, the ginger, stood up. The other way too busy talking to the waiter Meliorn. The blond man seemed to smile brightly.

Magnus watched her walk away with the drinks. As he was about to start asking more people for information concerning Isabelle’s location, Meliorn walked up to him. 

His skin was darker than it had looked from afar, but his eyes were still as piercing and intelligent. He had full lips, and Magnus knew why he could be found attractive by many. 

"Stop asking about Isabelle here," the man said, voice low. "She hasn’t been around in a while. The Queen doesn’t like other women like Isabelle on her territory." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> Shoot me an ask or a DM on my tumblr @enkelimagnus, or reach me on my Twitter @enkelimagnus!  
I have anons on and curiouscat so don't be shy!


	5. Chapter 5

"The Queen doesn’t like other women like Isabelle on her territory," Alexander Lightwood said. He sat across from Magnus, looking at a recent picture of Meliorn. He was clean-shaven this time. "What does that even mean?"

Magnus swallowed and slid his fingers over the file. He took another picture out. It was a woman.

She had dark red hair, almost too voluminous for her face, styled in perfectly rigid curls. Her eyes were green, almost hazy. Her hand was wrapped around a glass. She looked surprised to be photographed.

"She goes by the Seelie Queen. No one knows her real name." Magnus explained. "She is the owner of the Bone Chandelier, where Meliorn works, and where Isabelle was a regular."

Lightwood raised an eyebrow and took the picture from Magnus’ hand. "I’ve seen her before. I can’t remember where."

"Do you go out with your sister sometimes?"

"I do."

Magnus nodded. "She owns half of the shady clubs of the city. She’s a ruthless business woman."

The man’s woolen coat seemed darker and heavier suddenly as the light shifted. Rain started falling outside, as if a premonition that Magnus shouldn’t get involved in this. He wasn’t really one to be afraid of thunder.

Lightwood studied the picture for some time, eyes boring into it as if staring at it long enough would reveal its secrets.

Magnus had noticed that Alexander Lightwood had a firm, unwavering gaze, and it was strange to be on the receiving end of it. He watched everything intently, cataloguing everything.

"The Queen is known to deal drugs. Marijuana in particular." Magnus added.

The man looked up at him suddenly and put the photo back on the desk. "Are you saying that my sister is a drug dealer?" He asked.

Magnus shook his head. "I’m not saying anything. The Queen is a complicated persona and I’m sure there are many ways for someone to anger her."

Lightwood moved, reaching for the cigarette pack in his coat and taking one out. Magnus reached for his lighter. They both leaned forward, closing some of the distance in between them. Magnus lit the cigarette for him. Lightwood brought it up to his lips. There was something attractive about the man’s lips with the cigarette in between them.

His hazel eyes looked up at Magnus suddenly, catching him staring. Magnus cleared his throat and moved back.

"I’ll keep on going with my investigation then. We’ll find your sister, Mr Lightwood."

"Good," Lightwood said as he tapped off the ash from the first couple of drags. "That’s why I pay you, isn’t it?"

Magnus had a bit of a chuckle. "Talking of paying me. You owe me my fee for the first few hours."

Alec almost smirked. "And here I thought you’d have forgotten," he teased.

He reached into his pocket and took out a fat envelope. Magnus took it from him and looked through the bills quickly. There seemed to be enough.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Lightwood."

"Likewise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> Shoot me an ask or a DM on my tumblr @enkelimagnus, or reach me on my Twitter @enkelimagnus!  
I have anons on and curiouscat so don't be shy!


	6. Chapter 6

Unsurprisingly, Magnus walked back into the Bone Chandelier a few days after his meeting with Alexander Lightwood.

There was no doubt in his mind that this club was the center of the plot that had led to Isabelle’s disappearance. The Queen’s threats, Meliorn’s working there, Clarissa and the Jonathans...

Magnus had the feeling that he now had most of the players in his field of vision. He just had to figure out the moves they’d made, while not entirely blowing it for every involved.

This time, he sat at one of the tables. He scanned the rest of the club, looking quickly through the faces of patrons. He didn’t linger. A man like him could seldom afford to let his gaze wonder on faces that would turn against him immediately.

He ordered a vodka sour and leaned against the back of the chair. Meliorn brought it up to him. The recognition on the man’s face shifted to annoyance.

"I thought you wouldn’t come back," he said, tight-lipped.

Magnus shrugged slightly and gave the man the money he was holding. "I enjoy the atmosphere."

Meliorn shot him a glance and shook his head. "I warned you," he reminded, before walking away.

Magnus reached for his drink and took a sip. It was quite good. He slid a cigarette out of the box that was in front of him and put it in between his lips.

He was about to light it when a lighter came from behind him and lit it for him. He raised an eyebrow and turned around.

Behind him was standing the red-haired woman that he had previously met there. She gave him a smile. "I had to give back the fire," she winked at him.

"Miss Clarissa," Magnus nodded and she chuckled.

"Please. Just call me Clary," she shrugged. "Get up, Magnus Bane, I’m taking you to my table." She stood and spoke in a way that didn’t leave much to be discussed.

Magnus gathered his belongings and stood up, the drink in hand. Clary took his hand and pulled him towards the table where the two men she’d been with before were sitting.

"Jonathans, this is Magnus. He’s currently looking into dear Isabelle’s disappearance," Clary introduced as she sat down on one of the chairs.

The blonde man reached over to shake Magnus’ hand. "Call me Jace. Easier to keep track."

"I just go by Jonathan," the red-haired man shrugged. His face was interesting, angular and strong in all aspects. There was more a general air than a look of resemblance between him and Clary.

Magnus took a sip of his cocktail. The four of them made small talk for a moment. Jace stood up after a moment, and walked to Meliorn, talking to him quietly. Magnus noticed Jace’s hand on Meliorn’s arm.

"So," Jonathan started. "do you know if Isabelle’s okay? We wouldn’t want her... connections to our sweet Mary-Jane to bring her trouble..."

Magnus smiled. Isabelle truly was involved in drugs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> Shoot me an ask or a DM on my tumblr @enkelimagnus, or reach me on my Twitter @enkelimagnus!  
I have anons on and curiouscat so don't be shy!


	7. Chapter 7

"Coffee or Bourbon?"

Magnus shrugged. "Coffee right now."

Ragnor, a tall salt-and-pepper-haired man that Magnus only semi-jokingly considered a father, huffed and poured him a coffee, and himself a tea.

He was British, down to the black tea that he drank every time he wasn’t drinking whisky. Magnus liked the Britishness of him. He liked a lot of things of Ragnor, almost as many as he disliked.

"So what brings you here, dear Magnus?" Ragnor asked as he sat at his desk.

Ragnor was an ex-member of the NYPD. Especially, an ex-member of the vice unit. It was just the person that Magnus needed to help him find out more of what had happened to Isabelle Lightwood.

"A client," Magnus started. "Disappearance. We’re thinking drug-related."

"We?"

Magnus chuckled. "I’m working closely with the brother of the woman that disappeared. He’s got the money and the contacts."

"If he has so many contacts, then why are you here with me?" Ragnor pointed out, taking a sip of his tea.

"Because it’s drugs, Ragnor. And it’s the Seelie Queen."

Ragnor had a low chuckle. "Well damn. How does a high-society lady get involved with the Seelie Queen?"

Magnus didn’t need to ask how he knew she was high society. Ragnor was smart enough to know what "money and contacts" meant in this kind of specific context.

"She’s a regular at the Bone Chandelier. And she was... involved with one of the waiters. Meliorn."

Ragnor nodded. "Long hair, Uncle Tonoose-looking fella?"

Magnus raised an eyebrow. "Really, Ragnor?" He pointed out.

"Arab. Arab-looking. Better?"

Magnus nodded. "Far."

Ragnor was one of the only white men that Magnus would ever feel comfortable telling off when it came to race. And that was only because of their relationship, nothing else.

"But it seems to be him. He’s not a bad man, and he did seem to want to protect Miss Lightwood."

Ragnor almost coughed out his tea. "Your client is a fucking Lightwood?"

Magnus chuckled. "Surprising, I know. I don’t get a lot of those, being colored and all." He pointed out. "But I get my reputation precedes my skin, in some circles."

"Bet he’s paying good money too."

"If I was a less honest man, I would be sucking him dry," Magnus pointed out.

"So how does little miss Lightwood get herself abducted by the Seelie Queen, is the question you’re asking?"

"Not really," Magnus shrugged. "It’s more... How did little miss Lightwood get involved in introducing Mary-Jane to other fancy rich kids like her, and what did she do to piss off her employer?"

Ragnor thought for a moment, but Magnus guessed he was thinking more of the revelation that Lightwood was probably a dealer than anything else.

"Fucking up transactions, getting involved with the wrong man, being too pretty for the Queen’s ego... There are so many ways. The Bone Chandelier is full of crooks and queers, so it’s not hard to find a good suspect there."

Magnus hummed. “Of course it stays between us.”

“Of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> Shoot me an ask or a DM on my tumblr @enkelimagnus, or reach me on my Twitter @enkelimagnus!  
I have anons on and curiouscat so don't be shy!


	8. Chapter 8

Maybe he would be a regular at the Bone Chandelier by the end of this, Magnus thought, as he walked back into the club. 

As discussed with Ragnor, it made sense that this place was the background of Isabelle’s disappearance. It was full of shadier things than most, owned by a notoriously poisonous businesswoman, and where people went to lose themselves, their virtue and money. 

Magnus ordered his usual cocktail, looking around. Meliorn was absent, and he couldn’t really see anyone he knew. 

Too bad. He had been hoping to have a chat with Clarissa and the Jonathans. Some research had revealed that they were actually Seraphina Clarissa and Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern, and Jonathan Christopher Herondale. Much more high society than Magnus had expected. 

Clarissa’s father owned one of the biggest telecom agencies in the world, and Jace’s family were primary stakeholders in most of the biggest businesses. His grandfather even had a seat on the senate. These were people that could fall easily if a scandal such as Mary-Jane dealing smeared their names. 

Magnus was hoping he could talk to them about it. Ask what they would do to keep this silent. 

He sat at a table in the middle of the room and waited. As expected, he saw a flash of red hair and a slightly husky voice. That was the tone she took to appear flirtation, Magnus had noticed. He waved the woman over. 

"No brothers tonight?" He asked as she sat down in front of him, alone. 

"I like to live dangerously, sometimes." Clarissa shrugged, sipping on her cocktail and taking a cigarette out. 

"You smoke impressively."

"What can I say," she chuckled. "I’ve always been a bit of a rebel." 

Magnus hummed. "So I’ve heard, Ms Seraphina Morgenstern." 

The woman opened her mouth a little, taken aback. For a moment, she just stared at him, before her open mouth turned into a smirk. "Congratulations, Mr Bane. You know my name. Are you going to threaten to tell my daddy what I smoke when it’s not cigarettes?" She asked, her seductive tone back. There was a bit of a hardness in her eyes.

"I’m just wondering what a girl like you would do to keep her behavior and... interests private," Magnus shrugged. 

Clarissa immediately seemed uncomfortable. The seductive and dangerous tone had dropped, there was a flush on her cheeks and she looked around the two of them. 

"How did you know about me?" She asked, voice blank. 

Magnus had not been expecting this. Especially not since they’d talked about smoking MaryJane so openly the last time he’d seen the trio. Watching him, Clarissa noticed he was surprised and gasped. 

"Oh," she whispered. "It wasn’t about Isabelle and I... It was about the herb..." She then let out a string of curses. 

"Isabelle and you?" Magnus asked curiously, and she sent him a look. A look that Magnus instantly recognized. "You were lovers." 

He didn’t need to say more. She didn’t need to nod. He knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> Shoot me an ask or a DM on my tumblr @enkelimagnus, or reach me on my Twitter @enkelimagnus!  
I have anons on and curiouscat so don't be shy!


	9. Chapter 9

Magnus unlocked the door of his apartment and office, and pushed it open. 

“After you,” he said softly, and Clarissa stepped into the dark room in front of him. He closed the door behind them and turned on the lights. 

With her pageboy hairstyle with short bangs and black capri pants, she looked almost too young and innocent to be standing in Magnus’ office now. She looked like a girl only just finishing highschool and going to college to find herself a husband, graduating in a major she would never use. 

“I know what you’re thinking,” she said, crossing her arms. “About… Isabelle and I.” 

Magnus had a soft chuckle. “I’m pretty sure you don’t, Miss.” He hung his hat to the wall and took off his coat. When he realized she was still not moving, arms crossed and looking defensive, he sighed. “You can relax. I’m not going to hurt you.”

He knew that she expected something to happen. She’d just revealed her lesbianism to him, and he’d taken her back to his office and his home, where they were alone behind a locked door. He knew that she thought he was going to do. 

“I have absolutely no desire to harm you. If anything, I understand at least some of what you’re going through. I’m bisexual, myself,” Magnus explained, and he saw her shoulders relax almost instantly. “I’m telling you this now. So if I go to the police and denounce your homosexuality, you have a weapon to use against me as well, Clarissa.” 

The woman sighed, uncrossing her arms, and started to undo the buttons of her coat. “I appreciate the gesture,” she replied. “Do you have alcohol? I feel like I need some pick-me-up after this.”

Magnus nodded and poured them both a glass. “I took you here so we would be in private. Matters like the ones of our identities cannot easily be spoken about in a public space such as the Bone Chandelier.” 

Clarissa thanked him for the glass and took a big sip of the whiskey. “You want to know about Isabelle and I, don’t you?” 

“Is it possible someone learned of your… relationship and went against her for it? Your family maybe?” 

Clarissa shook her head. “Not that I can think of. We were always very discreet. We met in public spaces always as I was with Jonathan and Jace, and when we were alone, it was always in our homes.” 

“Do you live alone?” Magnus asked, curiously. It was rare for young, marriage-age, wealthy women to live outside of their family’s homes. 

“Roommate,” Clarissa said. “And she’s not the kind that would tattle on us.” She pointed out. “Her and I have the same understanding than you and I, Mr Bane.” 

“How did you meet Isabelle Lightwood?” 

“At a dinner party, held by a mutual friend. A private event, for people of my and Isabelle’s… distinction. She was there with some very fun things to smoke. We hit it off immediately.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> Shoot me an ask or a DM on my tumblr @enkelimagnus, or reach me on my Twitter @enkelimagnus!  
I have anons on and curiouscat so don't be shy!


	10. Chapter 10

Magnus opened the box that had been delivered earlier that day to his home and office. It was fancy. The delivery man had asked for his ID twice before he’d let go of the big white box. As if he didn’t believe that someone like Magnus could afford what was in the box. Or would want to own it. 

Under thin silky paper, was a very beautiful and expensive black suit. Something Magnus could never even think about owning. And he didn’t know in what kind of circumstances he would wear it. 

He took the three piece suit out of the box and hung it over his closet door. It made the rest of his apartment look… shady and dirty. He swallowed and went back to the box. He flipped it over to find if there was something written on the back, something that would explain where it had come from. 

The answer was on a card that fell out of the box as Magnus was looking over the back. It was a simple card, black ink scribbled on cream paper in a neat little script. 

‘Will pick you up at 7 on Thursday Night. Wear this. C.’

Clarissa, he guessed. Where she was taking him was a surprise, but he guessed it had something to do with a high society event. The kind of suit she’d gifted him was not something he would wear at the Bone Chandelier. 

Magnus looked at the suit again before discarding the box. Thankfully, he had some appropriate shoes for this, dress shoes that he rarely wore. He grabbed wax and a cloth, and took the shoebox out from under his bed frame. 

Waxing his shoes was something that was comforting. A repetitive motion that washed his brain off of worries until it was shiny and new and ready to go back to work. 

Clarissa Fairchild, or Seraphina Morgenstern, hadn’t been supposed to become the center of the investigation on Isabelle Lightwood. Usually, with those kinds of cases, Magnus could easily see from the beginning who would be the major players. Some red-haired woman who spent her evenings drinking and smoking with two men she called brother? That was not something Magnus had expected. 

He’d really thought Meliorn would be bigger in this…

He was starting to worry about a specific aspect of his investigation, Miss Lightwood herself. The deeper he dived into her life, the more complex it became, and the harder it was for him to determine what exactly had happened to her. He worried that he might arrive too late, and that his meanderings were starting to take him farther from her. He didn’t want to fail Alexander Lightwood.

When he was done, he put the shoes back in their box and went back to his desk. 

Just as he was sitting down, rain started to pour outside his windows. It was a dark kind of storm, maybe an omen of what was to come in his search for Miss Lightwood. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> Shoot me an ask or a DM on my tumblr @enkelimagnus, or reach me on my Twitter @enkelimagnus!  
I have anons on and curiouscat so don't be shy!


	11. Chapter 11

Clarissa was leaning against the door of the car when Magnus got in it. She was dressed to the nines, black cocktail dress and fancy updo. She even was wearing pearls. Magnus raised an eyebrow but said nothing. 

“We can go now, you have the address,” Clarissa called to the driver. 

“Alright, Miss Morgenstern,” the man replied, and pulled out of where he was parked. 

Clarissa slid a cigarette out of her purse and Magnus reached for a lighter. He lit it for her. She thanked him with a nod. She was wearing more makeup than Magnus had previously seen her wearing. It was unusual, unexpected. Maybe even slightly out of character for her. 

The car drove smoothly into the New York streets, clearly going north. Magnus focused on the people he could see through the windows. The suit was a bit too stiff for him, the shoes as well, and his fedora felt a bit too old to be with this outfit. He also knew that, brand new expensive suit or not, he would be stared at wherever it was they were going. He wasn’t of the right race for Clarissa’s social circle. 

“I suppose I do not get to know where we are going,” Magnus said softly. 

Clarissa flicked the ashes off of her cigarette and hummed. “You’re perceptive, Mister Bane,” she replied, tone sarcastic. 

Magnus shifted a little. She sent him a pointed look. “No need to fidget. It’ll be alright.” 

Magnus had a little smile and sighed. “I do not believe you have the same experience of… soirées as I have, Miss Morgenstern.” 

“Haven’t I already told you to call me Clarissa?” 

Magnus shot a look at the driver. “You have. It feels a bit... inappropriate for the setting of our escapade.” 

Clarissa shrugged. “You do not know where we’re going,” she reminded. “Clarissa will be very appropriate there. Many present call me by that name, more than they do the first one on my birth certificate.” 

“I’m a man of bars more than I am a man of soirées,” Magnus pointed out. “Which you have probably guessed.”

“And you’re wondering why I put you in that suit and picked you up, if I know that soirées are not your scene.” 

Magnus smiled. “You are perceptive too.” 

Clarissa blew out the smoke, closing her eyes for a second to savor it. The interior of the car was getting foggy, and Magnus cranked open his window. She shot him a mischievous look. 

“We met because of a certain case of yours, and if I’m taking you to a private event such as this one, believe me, it is because it has to do with it. I would never subject you to the horrors of high society gatherings, were it not for a very good cause.”

“Isabelle,” Magnus whispered. 

“I have all interest in helping you find my darling Isabelle, Mr Bane,” Clarissa replied, as the car pulled up on a more quiet street. “Now, come with me.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> Shoot me an ask or a DM on my tumblr @enkelimagnus, or reach me on my Twitter @enkelimagnus!  
I have anons on and curiouscat so don't be shy!


	12. Chapter 12

The house was tall, and it was for sure expensive. It was the Upper East Side, where the rich lived and spent their lives, only getting down to shop and spend in 5th Avenue boutiques. Even the butlers were white here, Magnus noticed, as he straightened his tie and held his arm out for Clarissa. 

She seemed perfectly at ease and he guessed he understood why. The car drove away and they walked into the house. Clarissa left her coat at the entrance, but Magnus hadn’t been wearing one. He left his hat, and followed her deeper inside. 

He would have imagined it to be different than it was. Men and women, most in their twenties, were chatting, little group by little group. Waiters were serving champagne glasses and a bar offered other cocktails. Clarissa grabbed a cup of champagne and pulled him to the bar. 

People stared at the two of them too much for his comfort but he swallowed his annoyance and ordered a scotch. Clarissa sighed softly, leaning against the bar. 

“The doors will close any time now,” she said softly, taking a sip of her champagne. “Then, everyone will move in the back rooms, and everything will be much more relaxed.” 

What kind of event was this? Magnus thanked the bartender for his scotch and took a big sip. 

“Mr Bane?” A familiar voice resounded to his right and Magnus turned to see Alexander Lightwood approaching. The man was dressed elegantly as well, and he followed proper etiquette and said hello to Clarissa first, before turning to Magnus again. “I’m surprised to see you here.” 

“Believe me, Mr Lightwood, I’m quite surprised to be here myself,” Magnus chuckled and took a sip of his cocktail. “Miss Morgenstern did not give me any information, except that this event could help understand what happened to Miss Lightwood.” 

“Izzy is my usual plus-one,” Mr Lightwood said. “She enjoys the company she finds here.” 

“So do you,” Clarissa pointed out. “How was your evening with Mister Jesse Hawkblue?” 

Lightwood had a bit of a smile, the first one Magnus seemed to remember. There was definitely something more relaxed about him here.

“How was your evening with Dorothy Calloway?” Lightwood replied with a smirk. “We can both play this game, Clarissa.” 

Magnus watched the two of them verbally spar for a few more minutes. It seemed like they were used to the exercise of this conversation, and he wondered how deeply intertwined these people were. 

A bell was rang by a butler and the doors were locked. People started gathering towards the great doors of the inner rooms, including, Magnus found as the crowd walked into it, a ball room. A second bar was open, buffets of finger food were unveiled, and couples started filling the dancefloor. 

Magnus quickly noticed something unusual. The overwhelming majority of the dancing couples were same-sex. Men danced with men, and women with women. Clarissa left him to twirl at the arm of a dark-haired woman. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> Shoot me an ask or a DM on my tumblr @enkelimagnus, or reach me on my Twitter @enkelimagnus!  
I have anons on and curiouscat so don't be shy!  
Actions


	13. Chapter 13

As Magnus watched the couples dancing and laughing, someone stood next to him and handed him another drink. He looked up curiously, to see Alexander Lightwood smiling. His suit looked fancier even than the one Magnus was wearing. It fit him well. Seeing him like this, a bit more relaxed than usual, with a drink in hand and a faint smile on his face, was pleasant. 

“Thank you,” he said, and took the glass. 

They both drank quietly for a moment. Clarissa seemed to be enjoying dancing with many different women. She was supposed to love Isabelle. Maybe it was the loss that pushed her to try and forget. 

“Usually, she only dances with Isabelle. This is the first event since her disappearance,” Lightwood explained, seeing that Magnus was observing Clarissa. 

“How are you holding up?” Magnus asked. He knew it was probably a little intrusive, but he couldn’t help but think about it. He wouldn’t know what he would do, if the people he considered family were taken from him.

The man had a little wince, sliding his hand into his pocket as he took a slightly bigger than before sip of his drink. “I’m alright. Our parents are starting to really worry.”

Magnus nodded. “How long until they go to the police commissioner directly?” He asked, a bit of sarcasm in his voice. 

“Not long. But it will become difficult for you then. A lot of people looking in the same place…”

“And, except a select few,” Magnus hummed. “I am not in the best relationship with the New York Police Department. I have had a couple of… run-ins.” He winced at that. 

“I know a good lawyer,” Lightwood pointed out. 

Magnus had a small chuckle and took another sip of his drink. “Believe me, I cannot afford what you consider a good lawyer.” 

“Even with what I pay you?” 

Magnus looked up. The man was teasing, and it was clear in the tone of his voice and the glint in his eyes. Magnus drank some more and fell silent. They watched the others for longer before Lightwood leaned in. 

“Do you dance, Mr Bane?” 

Magnus raised an eyebrow. He didn’t seem to be joking about it. If he was being honest, he hadn’t expected Alexander Lightwood to attend the kind of soirée this seemed to be. He hadn’t even expected him to be queer. There was something very straight-laced about that man. 

“Rarely,” Magnus replied, and knocked back the rest of his cocktail. 

Lightwood hummed and took the glass from him, putting both empty glasses on a table behind him. “Come on now. You are here for work, but I doubt you would be against mixing business with pleasure.” 

Magnus hesitated for a moment, but he was two drinks in, and he didn’t believe a dance or two would change much of his situation here. If anything, it would prove to those watching that he wasn’t a cop. 

“Alright,” Magnus said, and took Alexander Lightwood’s outstretched hand. 


	14. Chapter 14

Alexander Lightwood had firm steps and firm hands, as he led Magnus on the dancefloor. It was almost comforting in a way. He knew what he was doing. Magnus knew how to dance, but not in a way that these people did. It felt nice to be lead. 

“I know Clarissa hadn’t told you what this evening was,” Lightwood said eventually, looking at him. They were close to each other, and Magnus could see clearly the hazel of his eyes. They were beautiful eyes. 

“It didn’t take me long to gather.”

Lightwood nodded and smiled softly. “And now you’re dancing with me.” 

“I didn’t take you for one of us, Mr Lightwood,” Magnus conceded, tilting his head a little. “I was surprised.” 

“I easily pass as a straight man, indeed. It’s a talent of mine that I appreciate very much, in troubled times such as these,” Lightwood replied. “And please. Call me Alexander. At least here. I don’t think I am a Lightwood, in this crowd.”

“Just another man looking for a way to live his truth.” 

They kept dancing for a while, and Magnus found himself having fun. Alexander was a good dancer. And Magnus hadn’t been to a party he could feel comfortable at in months. He had been working case after case, uncomfortable situation after uncomfortable situation. And today, he was maybe working, but he was also drinking, and dancing with a handsome man. 

As they turned, Magnus noticed enveloppes discreetly passed between guests.

“Are Clarissa and you friends? She rarely ever brings companions to this event,” Alexander asked. 

“We met as I investigated for you. She and her brothers are regular customers of the Bone Chandelier. She told me about Isabelle’s… enterprises.” 

“The dealing,” Alexander looked a bit more closed off suddenly. “I thought she told me everything.” 

“There is telling you about her life, and making you an accomplice in her dealing. And we don’t know what the Queen had on her, that would push Isabelle to get in bed with her.” 

The man winced. “I would appreciate if you wouldn’t use that turn of phrase to describe my sister and the Queen’s relationship.” 

Magnus had a small laugh. The song was quickly over and they moved away from the dancefloor. Magnus reached for some food. He turned back to Alexander once he had gathered a couple of little sandwiches in his hand. 

“Clarissa and your sister were lovers. And they met because Isabelle brought some… party favors,” Magnus explained. “She brought me here to investigate.” 

“What have you found?” Alexander asked. 

“That Isabelle’s brother is a good dancer, good company, and quite handsome,” Magnus shrugged. “I have noticed a couple of dealers as well. I will take some time and talk to them, if you have no need for me.” 

Alexander hummed and looked at him with a playful smirk. “No need. For now, at least.” 

“I’ll be sure to come back to you and see if you need me again when I’m done.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> Shoot me an ask or a DM on my tumblr @enkelimagnus, or reach me on my Twitter @enkelimagnus!  
I have anons on and curiouscat so don't be shy!


	15. Chapter 15

Walking away from Alexander was harder than Magnus had originally thought. Dancing with him had been much more enjoyable than he’d expected. Magnus wasn’t the type to sleep with a client, or do anything even slightly appropriate with them.

It seemed that it wasn’t Alexander’s style either, but they had just happened to be at this event, somewhere they could actually share a dance without fear. Around them, there had been people dancing just like them, some even closer. 

The woman he’d seen passing envelopes had dark hair, and was Middle-Eastern, just like Meliorn. Magnus committed to memory, it could maybe be useful later when he dealt with the Seelie Queen. 

She wore a figure-hugging green dress, that was almost inappropriate, and she seemed to be getting less results than she expected with her sales. Magnus was a bit surprised about that. Surely the products were the same in between dealers. 

“May I speak with you?” He asked softly, keeping his tone even and reassuring to the woman. 

She raised an eyebrow and looked at him suspiciously, though she replied nothing. They walked to a more sparse of people corner and Magnus smiled at her. 

“I saw you dealing. Not having any luck?” 

The woman looked suddenly much more annoyed. “I don’t think it’s any of your business,” she replied. 

“I’m investigating one of your colleagues, Miss, so I do believe it is.” 

She looked around, as if searching for a way to escape, but Magnus took a step closer. “I’m not with the police, and I have no desire to get you into trouble if all you do is deal. I just want to know if you know anything about Isabelle Lightwood.” 

The woman huffed. “If that’s the colleague of mine you’re investigating, you are mistaken. We were not colleagues.” 

Magnus hummed. “Maybe there’s some specific terminology I do not know.” 

“No, you don’t understand. She doesn’t work for the Queen. Isabelle Lightwood and I were never colleagues. She was actually a competitor. Whoever told you she was part of the Queen’s organization is mistaken.” 

Magnus fell silent at the realization. Isabelle was a competitor. That gave the Queen even bigger a motive than he’d originally thought. 

“The only reason I’m here trying to deal today, is because she’s gone from the market,” the woman added. “So i’m sorry, but I can’t help you.” 

Magnus shook his head. “Nonsense, you were of a greater help than I’d expected. Good luck with the rest of your evening.” 

He walked away from her rather fast afterwards. So Isabelle wasn’t working for the Queen. Who else could she be working for? The other dealer’s lack of success could be explained, Magnus guessed, with the status of the guests. Isabelle came from the same background as the people around him, she was much more aware of the codes, étiquettes, and ways. The woman he’d just spoken to didn’t know about those. 

Isabelle was working for high society dealers. She was the Queen’s competition.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Racist Slurs! 
> 
> Though they are a bit typical of the period, I still wanna warn for anti-Asian slurs and general racist nastiness!

Isabelle felt the ropes digging into the flesh of her wrists as she shifted. She was trying to get in a position that was a bit more comfortable, but the rope tying her hands and feet together was not letting her move much. 

She didn’t know how long it had been since she’d been taken off of the New York street and thrown in the back of a car. The room she was kept in didn’t have windows that would allow her to know when the sun was up. She knew the drive had been long, hours, definitely, but not exactly how many. 

She knew they were keeping her alive. She knew they didn’t speak English, and she couldn’t understand what they were saying. They were strong though. They’d moved her from the car to the room without strain; and they manhandled her around said room easily as well. 

Trying to think about where she was and how long she’d been gone kept her from being too scared. It kept the great pit of dread in her stomach at bay for a moment, even if it got deeper and bigger every time she heard footsteps outside of the room. 

Her captors were not gentle, far from it. She could taste caked dried blood on her lips. The water or alcohol they made her drink didn’t wash away the metallic taste enough. 

Alexander was going to look for her, and he was going to find her. She trusted in that. She even prayed that he would, even if she wasn’t as religious as her parents thought she was. She understood here, in this dirty room she was locked in, that prayer was comforting. She’d even apologized to God a couple of times, just in case. 

Footsteps resounded outside of the door and she swallowed again, trying to move away. They stopped and a key turned in the lock. Where they going to kill her this time? Violate her? Beat her more?

They turned on the light and she closed her eyes. She spent most of her time in pitch darkness. The brightness was blinding her. 

The man was tall, dark-haired, serious. She swallowed again as he stepped closer to her. 

“People are looking for you, woman,” the man said. “Some chink’s sniffing around the Bone Chandelier.”

That man didn’t have an accent, none that she could gather, at least. Isabelle didn’t say anything. Alexander had probably asked for some help in finding her. She should have told him about the mary-jane. He would have known where to look. 

“Is he your boyfriend?” the man kept going. “We know you have a taste for Arabs but we didn’t know about orientals. Your family would hate to know you give that pretty white flesh to so many dirty men.” 

Isabelle swallowed. They knew about Meliorn. She hoped he wasn’t in trouble. She cared for the man. 

“You’re lucky the Queen doesn’t want us to rectify that bad taste.” 

Isabelle couldn’t help but shudder. 


	17. Chapter 17

“You’re back. I’m guessing you have more questions for me.” 

Ragnor was Ragnor, and as always, he seemed entirely displeased to see Magnus. Magnus, or anyone, really. The man was a hermit, living in a big city. One of these days, he would move to the country, never to be heard from again. Magnus would lose someone he considered a friend, but he knew of the weight of the city on Ragnor’s shoulders. 

“Miss Lightwood doesn’t work for the Seelie Queen,” Magnus explained, cutting straight to the chase. There was no need for more secrecy. He knew the clock was ticking. 

“My, my,” Ragnor hummed, lighting his cigarette. Magnus refused one. 

“I need to know who the other players in the city are. I need to know who she could have been working for.”

Ragnor nodded, staying silent for a moment. “There’s no other player. None as big as the Queen at least. She holds a monopoly, and she’s been ruthless in keeping it.”

Magnus sighed a little. He was getting into waters more and more dangerous. Was Alexander Lightwood’s money worth it? 

The money wasn’t, but the life was. He had to remember that there was a life, hanging in the balance. Isabelle Lightwood’s life. He’d met her brother, and two of her lovers. 

“There’s been a rumor though,” Ragnor added. “I’m not entirely aware of the details, since I only hear things from old friends, but some of the Blackthorns have moved to New York, around a year ago.”

“The Blackthorns?” 

Ragnor nodded solemnly. “Crime family based in Los Angeles, California. They are also important suppliers to the Mary-Jane trade. Los Angeles is close to Mexico.” 

“Why would they cross the continent to come here then?” Magnus asked, frowning. 

“I don’t know, exactly, but it made a lot of noise. There are also rumors of a falling out with the Seelie Queen, with whom they were allies. If your little Miss Lightwood has gotten herself involved in the war between the Blackthorns and the Queen, there is no doubt she attracted bad attention.” 

Magnus nodded. Next stop was going to be the Blackthorns’ then. If Isabelle was working for them, there was a chance they would be interested in getting her back. If not… They might be able to provide some information on the Seelie Queen’s way of doing business. Information someone like Ragnor, who was notably on the side of the police, wouldn’t know.

“Thank you, my friend,” Magnus said as he stood up and put on his hat. He reached for his gloves as well. 

“One of these days, you’re going to have to pay me back for all of these favors, Magnus.” 

“I’m hoping you’ll let it slide because I am your friend,” Magnus chuckled and winked at the Brit. He walked towards the door as Ragnor huffed. 

“I let the first… 50 times slide. Next time, you’ll bring me a bottle of jack.” 

Magnus chuckled. “We have a deal, old man.” 

The door closed.


	18. Chapter 18

Magnus didn’t exactly like being kept waiting, but here he was, sitting on a not-so-comfortable chair, in an empty study. The desk in front of him was wooden and massive, expensive-looking. The shelves on the walls were filled with various books, about every topic Magnus could imagine. He let his eyes roam over the titles as he waited. 

Getting an audience with the Blackthorns this quickly had been quite unexpected. Magnus had mentioned them to Clarissa and the Jonathans, and within a few hours, he had received a phone call. The Devil worked fast, but Clarissa worked faster.

The door behind him opened eventually. 

“I apologize for keeping you waiting, Mr Bane,” a voice resounded behind him. 

Magnus stood up and turned around, holding his hand. Both the man and the woman who had just entered the room shook it. 

“Mark Blackthorn,” the man introduced himself. 

“And I’m Helen Blackthorn.”

The two of them were quite obviously siblings, bearing a striking resemblance to one another. Magnus would have even pushed his guess to them being twins. They both had pale white skin and pale platinum blonde hair that was almost white. They were younger than Magnus expected too. He doubted they were older than 30. 

“You asked to see us, Mr Bane?” Mark Blackthorn asked, opening his vest and sitting behind the desk. His sister sat down by his side, in a twin chair. It was unusual to have two chairs behind the desk, and only one in front. 

“I did,” Magnus replied courtly. “I am a Private Eye, you see, and I have a few questions to ask you.” 

Helen Blackthorn raised an eyebrow and looked at him. “We’re listening.” 

Magnus pulled the picture of Isabelle out of his pocket and deposited it on the desk. They peered at it but stayed entirely silent. 

“I have been asked to look into the disappearance of this young woman,” Magnus explained. 

“Are we suspected of making her disappear?” Mark Blackthorn asked. 

“I am suspecting her of working for you, that’s all,” Magnus replied. “And said information, if it is true, will stay between us. The only thing that anyone has to know is that she was brought home to her family, safe.” 

Helen and Mark Blackthorn exchanged a look between themselves, for a long moment. Magnus hoped he seemed trustworthy enough. Time was passing fast, and Isabelle was still nowhere to be found. 

Helen took a deep breath and turned back to him. It seemed that the siblings had found an understanding. 

“Miss Lightwood does not work for us, Mr Bane,” the woman said, eyes starting to show a bit of worry. “She works with us.”

Magnus sighed. “Do you know who she works for then?” 

The woman had a small, humorless chuckle. “She works for herself. She is the head of her own operation.” 

Magnus looked at the two of them. They weren’t joking. It seemed that Isabelle Lightwood had much more tricks up her sleeve than he’d been expecting.


	19. Chapter 19

Magnus had to admit that he was happy to see Alexander Lightwood. They’d kept up to date on the advancement of the search every since the party Clarissa had taken Magnus to. Today, Magnus was going to break some news to the man, and hopefully convince him to do something a bit crazy. 

Alexander sat on the chair in front of Magnus’ desk, coat and gloves and hat off, playing with his cigarette and looking around the room when Magnus came back with a folder filled with some surveillance pictures taken by one of his Bostonian acquaintances. 

He set them down on the desk and looked at the man. 

“Good news, I have an idea of where Isabelle is,” he explained. 

Alexander breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. “I’m glad,” he said softly. “I’m quite relieved.” 

Magnus started taking out the photographs. 

“Your sister has built a small drug empire, in concurrence to the Seelie Queen’s, using her direct access to Manhattanite high society to open doors for herself. She’s allied with the Blackthorn family, a LA-based drug smuggling organization that has, as of last year, started working in New York.” 

Alexander blinked at him, and swallowed. “I never doubted my sister’s business-mindedness, or her sense of adventure but that’s… a lot.” 

Magnus had a small smile. “Yes. It is. I’m sorry to be the one to deliver those news to you.”

“I’m guessing the… Seelie Queen didn’t like that my sister was… taking over her business.” 

“Indeed,” Magnus noded. “All my findings point to Isabelle being held in Boston.” 

Alexander frowned. “Boston? Why Boston?” 

Magnus sighed a little and pushed the photographs forward. On most of them, you could see people walking in and out of a basement staircase marked with specific leaf patterns. It was the same kind of pattern that the Seelie Queen’s operatives seem to have tattooed somewhere on their body. 

“The Seelie Queen’s headquarters, also called the Seelie Court, is in Boston. She has some operations like the Bone Chandelier over a good amount of the North-East coast. Boston, Philly, New York, Washington…” 

Alexander sighed deeply. “So if Isabelle’s still alive and being kept somewhere, Boston seems like a good place to start looking.”

Magnus took a deep breath. “We’re not going to be looking.” 

Alexander looked up to him and he stared at him in a way that made Magnus believe he’d grown a second head. He knew this was going to be a… ballsy offer. 

“Do you trust me, Mr Lightwood?” He asked softly.

The dark-haired man took some time to think it through before he nodded. “I do, Mr Bane. You’ve never let me down or betrayed me, I don’t think I have a reason to mistrust you.” It was said with such firmness and belief that Magnus really hoped that his plan wouldn’t fail. 

“Good,” he whispered, shifting in his seat. “Because I think we can offer a deal to the Seelie Queen, in exchange for your sister, Mr Lightwood.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> Shoot me an ask or a DM on my tumblr @enkelimagnus, or reach me on my Twitter @enkelimagnus!  
I have anons on and curiouscat so don't be shy!


	20. Chapter 20

Magnus was trying quite hard to portray quiet confidence as he walked into the office of the Seelie Queen herself. She surprisingly accepted Magnus’ request to see her very quickly. 

He was not naive enough to believe that she didn’t know that he saw the Blackthorns, or that he knew that she was responsible for Isabelle’s disappearance. At this point, most of the people he had met in the last few weeks knew it was the Seelie Queen. 

She was waiting for him, sitting at her desk with her rigid red hair and her icy green eyes. There were guards all around her, ready to jump at Magnus’ throat with knives and guns if he even blinked in the wrong direction. Magnus knew. He also knew what he was here for. 

“Mr Bane,” the Seelie Queen nodded, for all introduction. 

“My Queen,” he replied courtly. The way she demanded to be addressed was strange but it kept anyone from knowing her real name. A hard to keep secret in shady businesses such as drug trafficking. 

“You’ve been asking a lot of questions, to a lot of my people,” the Queen said coldly. She was not one to avoid the topic for long, he gathered. 

“I knew you would notice.”

The Queen raised an eyebrow. “So you were trying to get my attention, Mr Bane? You succeeded.” 

“I was trying to find a lost lamb, my Queen, but I think you know that very well.” 

The Queen shrugged almost imperceptibly. A smug smile was tugging at the corner of her lips, almost scandalously breaking the frozen facade that she’d created.

“You’re flattering me,” she replied. “Now, what is it that you want from me?”

Magnus chuckled. “Isn’t it obvious? I want Isabelle Lightwood back.” 

The Seelie Queen smiled. “She’s still learning her lesson.” 

Magnus shook his head. “My Queen, I think she’s learnt her lesson quite well. Besides, her brother is willing to pay you the amount that she has cost you with her business endeavours in the past year. With interest.” 

It hadn’t been very hard to convince Alexander to go with Magnus’ plan. He was desperate to have his sister back, and he didn’t care about money more than he cared about her. He’d agreed and tasked Magnus of giving him the number the Seelie Queen asked for. 

“No matter the amount?” The Queen asked, and in her tone, he could tell that he had won. She was surprised, and she cared about the money in that case. Especially Lightwood money. Lightwood money would not get her into more trouble with cleaning it. 

“No matter the amount. All you have to do is release Isabelle, bring her home to New York. The second she is in his arms, he will pay the amount in full, to you, directly. No middle man.” 

The Queen smirked. “Not even you? He seems to  _ like  _ you in a very meaningful way.” 

Magnus shook his head. “Not even me. It’s a promise, my Queen.” 


	21. Chapter 21

Isabelle heard the footsteps rushing down flights of stairs and corridors. She tried to count how many were coming towards where they were holding her, but she couldn’t make out a specific number, the footsteps mixing with each other. 

In the depths of her heart, she knew they were coming for her. Maybe they had finally gotten the permission to ‘correct’ her likings in men by the Queen, or maybe they were just going to beat her up again. 

Her hands were shaking when they unlocked the door and pushed it open. They turned on the lights and it blinded her. She groaned in pain, her hands still held together in her back, leaving her unable to protect herself from the light. 

It didn’t last for long. They grabbed her and put a hood over her head, keeping her from seeing their faces or where they were taking her. They were going to kill her. Now that the Queen had scared her enough, they were going to kill her.

Isabelle tried to fight them off, but they were bigger and stronger, and she’d been weakened by the time she’d spent captured, barely fed enough and not able to move much. She writhed around as they pulled her a flight of stairs. 

Where were they going to kill her? Where were they going to dump her body in the nearest water or put it in a car and set fire to it? Was she ever going to see her family again? She bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes. 

She was dragged out of the place she’d been staying in, fresh air hitting her beaten and mostly-naked body. 

“Please,” she whispered. 

“Shut up,” one of the men snapped back. She was grabbed, her feet not touching the ground anymore. She tried to get away again, but to no avail. 

A car was running. She felt the leather of a car seat as they let go of her. The doors slammed shut as two men settled on either side of her, and then, they started driving. 

The drive was long, and she couldn’t see where they were going, the hood still on her face. Tears fell down her cheeks despite herself, and she was almost glad they couldn’t see it. They would have taunted her about it. 

Eventually, the car stopped. The men dragged her out, even as she fought for her life. That was it, they were going to kill her now. She could hear voices in the distance. Had they brought an audience to her demise?

The hood was snatched from her head and she struggled to see through the tears. It was dark, the only light coming from the three cars on the road. 

“Isabelle!” Someone called her name and it took her a second to recognize the voice.

The man ran to her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. She sobbed in relief in his big coat. 

“You’re going to be okay.” 

“I know, Alexander.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> Shoot me an ask or a DM on my tumblr @enkelimagnus, or reach me on my Twitter @enkelimagnus!  
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	22. Epilogue

Cigarettes were lit, the music resounded out throughout the apartment and the fabric of the couch was softer than anything Magnus’ fingers had ever touched before. 

The whiskies he drank made his vision and mind fuzzy around the edges. Only the small lamps on the table were lit. In the semi darkness, the ends of the cigarettes glowed fiery orange.

On one of the couches, Jace and a blonde woman that had a bit of a pout for most of the evening until now were making out, slow and languid and tipsy.

It had been three months since Isabelle had been given back to her family. Alexander and her were still discussing whether or not she should start her operations again. Alexander was firmly against the idea. 

Isabelle wanted to. She needed to, she said. Alexander was trying to get her a good job in a good company where she could exercise her business skills within the confines of the law. 

Clarissa’s laugh resounded from the kitchen where she was with Isabelle, Jonathan and Alexander. Magnus didn’t know exactly what they were doing there. He was just sitting there comfortably, tipsy and somewhat hungry.

Footsteps resounded into the corridor and Alexander walked in. He was still as tall, handsome and elegant as the first day they’d met, but the layer of worry that had been almost constantly darkening his features had lifted the moment Isabelle had been back into his arms. 

He sat down by Magnus’ side and gave him one of the two glasses in his hand. Magnus thanked him and took a sip. He was going to be quite hammered by the end of this. Magnus looked up at Alexander and the smile on his lips and he decided he didn’t care. 

“Are you enjoying the evening, dear?” Magnus asked and Alexander chuckled. 

“Always when you’re here.” 

Alexander leaned in, kissing him softly but without any shame or hold-backs. Magnus kissed him back, sighing happily against his lips and putting down his glass so he wouldn’t accidentally spill the whisky all over the beautiful and expensive couch. 

The people they were around were trustworthy, enough so that they didn’t have to worry about being ratted out to the police for this. Worries melted from Magnus’ brain as Alexander rearranged his body so he could hold him closer.

The world was zero-ing to Alexander’s lips and his hands on him when someone coughed heavily.

“I’m sorry to bother you two, but we have something to celebrate,” Clarissa pointed out. 

They all gathered their glasses, Alexander’s arm staying over Magnus’ shoulders. 

“To Isabelle, that we are so glad to have back amongst us,” Clarissa exclaimed, looking over at her blushing girlfriend.

Isabelle shook her head. “I think I’d rather thank Magnus. Without him, I would still be in Boston with the Queen’s men.”

No one missed the shudder that went down her spine as she said those words. They didn’t mention it. 

It was a time for celebration, and love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for following me through this fic!
> 
> Feel free to check out my other work and/or talk to me on tumblr or on twitter at @enkelimagnus!


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